The International Writers Magazine Editorial August 2024

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Welcome to this edition of Hackwriters. 25 years on-line, 8,011 + articles - reviews - stories - travel -
share any feature you like and pass them on. August 2024 - Previous Editorial here

Welcome: Editorial - August
‘Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy.’
Louis Brandeis

I guess we’ve all lost a little faith in democracy lately. The latest results from Venezuela for example. The opposition were leading Maduro by 40% in the polls but still Maduro declared he’d won. Nor will he let anyone check the election tallies. You know it’s rigged, as the first person to congratulate him was President Putin, that well-known democrat. Caracas has erupted of course, but Maduro owns the police and army and pays them very well to keep democracy in darkness.

Then there’s Trump, as ever, actually promising to rig elections in future at a Christian husting in Florida – code for abolishing women’s rights, all civil rights, and voting rights that have been gained in the last 50 years.  Republicans really do fear women.  With Project 2025 at his side democracy will be demolished if he wins. One won’t even be able to find out what the weather’s doing, as they want to abolish NOAA and the National Weather Service, so no one can measure climate change. They’ll also abolish all protections for the environment. Drilling for oil in national parks anyone? Meanwhile, Elon Musk spends deep to promote all Trump's conspiracies as he goes ever further to the Far Right. But never fear James Campion senses MAGA voters are getting bored of Trump (8.16.24) and his endless whining.

We have a real race now since Kamala Harris took over the challenge to Trump. But can she win over Republican men? Especially the 20-30 group, who are so looking forward to the promised world where women are stripped of all their reproductive rights.  Maybe eventually removing their right to vote!  J D Vance has already said that Christians with children should have double votes to negate any Democrat votes. But Harris and Walz have flipped the polls. As James Campion notes this week their cunning plan is to bring JOY to the election process. This is excellent news! Now Michele Obama and others enter the fray with intelligent attacks on Trump. The day of the Boomer is over says James Campion. (8.25.24)

The Far Right is resurgent in Europe (only temporarily defeated in France this July).  The Far Left managed to combine to defeat Le Pen’s party, but utterly disintegrated when it came to deciding who should govern.  President Macron outmanoeuvred them for now. The Olympics have distracted people from politics and France has done well, so maybe the French electorate will be in a better mood in September.

At the back of all this is a fear of migrants, fear of change, of the stabbings, crime and cultural differences, never mind religion, and of course that great rallying cry about the ‘Great Replacement’. The tragic mass stabbing of children in Southport UK by a 17 year-old teen at the end of July feeds into this paranoia and the horrible riots that have followed an ugly stain. The Courts are cracking down on the thugs at last but Elon Musk and Tommy Robinson are out of their reach at the moment. Blocking X would be an excellent idea I think.
           
I often wonder what it must have been like to live in New York in the 1880/1890’s as mass migration arrived at their shores. There was huge resentment of these impoverished arrivals as ghettos formed around different nationalities. Violence and crime soared.  See Martin Scorsese’s vivid ‘Gangs of New York’ about the fighting Irish gangs. But New York and Boston thrived as new dynamics brought by these same migrants took over.

It’s not clear that democracy will survive as more nation’s clamour for ‘autocratic’ rule, for someone to ‘sort it out’, without the constraints or niceties of ‘Democracy' where all are consulted.  But all autocracies end in chaos and war.

As Churchill is alleged to have said ‘Democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.’

Have a great August. Think positive thoughts when you return from your hols.

Meanwhile a small celebration as Mission Longshot wins an Honorable Mention at the Purple Dragonfly Awards 2024 - need a good sci-fi read for the summer? Download or order the print version now.

Editor - August 2024

*Sales of Sam North's and Sam Hawksmoor's books help keep Hackwriters going. Sam Hawksmoor's Books below

The Restoration of Ami: ASIN: B0CVQMH78C - Kindle ISBN: 978-1-7385181-0-4 - Print UK Pub: Hammer & Tong/KDP 2.29.24 Remy has one last obsession – to complete the restoration of his ’57 Studebaker Golden Hawk.  He’s planned a road trip to Montreal to find a part he desperately needs. It’s a long way from Florida; his Chevy truck is almost as old as he is. There are doubts he’ll be able to make the drive, doubts about his bladder, his heart, but he’s determined to go. At the very first urgent stop in the pouring rain, a dog appears from nowhere and jumps into his truck, quickly followed by a drenched teen. Scared, the girl, Ami, urgently needs a ride. She has escaped from a nearby religious cult and is desperate to find the mother who abandoned her there when she was just five years old. One old man, a troubled teenage girl and Stan the dog are on a road trip into MAGA America. With each mile they travel Montreal seems to get further away.

A Road Trip Nightmare by Sam Hawkmoor -

The Book of Ashes • Sam Hawksmoor ISBN: 979-8-837434-952 ASIN: B0B85HFK86 Hammer & Tong - print and kindle 'an immensely satisfying story' - Walli Leff on Goodreads. 'a fun read with unique elements ... exemplary in its voice and style' 'Judge, 10th Annual Writer's Digest E-Book Awards An extract from the Book of Ashes		The Book of Ashes - Some secrets are meant to be kept forever The Case: Delaney and Asha run their own investigation company now. Hired to find a writer who stiffed a client of $10,000 - things go bad pretty fast. "This was supposed to be a simple track and trace job. Find the writer, bank the money. Now it's a horror show."

'We Feel Your Pain' by Sam Hawksmoor ISBN-13: 979-8699087693 Published by Hammer & Tong Print & Kindle Book One in the Delaney & Asha series		We Feel Your Pain – So you don’t have to. The Case: Delaney (42) and Asha (22) run the Office of Berg City Oversight. Their role is to expose the scams, keep the city safe from unscrupulous people.  When something looks too good to be true – it’s a scam, right?  But what if the scam works?  What kind of scam is that?

MISSION LONGSHOT: how far will you go to save one life? 2024: Honorable Mention in the Purple Dragonfly Awards (Sci Fi) Gerry is convinced aliens are going to attack on Millennium Eve - Y2K night. Everyone else is preparing for the end of civilisation. That night only Gerry notices aliens land. He and his spacenut pals Jolene and Kali race to be the first to greet them... 'Climate change, lost alien civilisations, adventures in deep space. Great fun with endearing characters'. Kitty Thomas

The Sam North Novels - still available to order Amazon or Lulu

*Keeping Hackwriters archived is supported by sales of our books - so do buy, print or kindle, we aren't picky.
Magenta - A chilling story of kidnapping, burning and strangeness set in the wilds of Lincolnshire

** The Heaviness, & The Repercussions of Tomas D - 'best time travel WW2 story in a long while'

The new edition of 'ANOTHER PLACE TO DIE: ENDTIME CHRONICLES By Sam Hawksmoor & Sam North There's no safe place to hide from a lethal pandemic Print & Kindle - Q&A interview with the authors here A city gripped by fear. People are petrified of being thrown into quarantine. Best friends Kira and Liz once parted are scared they will never see each other again. Teen lovers, Chris and Rachel, prepare to escape to the islands. a taster here The Last Ferry Review from the First Edition: 'Beautiful, plausible, and sickeningly addictive, Another Place to Die: Endtime will terrify you, thrill you, and make you petrified of anyone who comes near you...' Roxy West - Amazon.co.uk

Girl with Cat (Blue) - Shortlisted for the Rubery International Book Award 'a funny, bloody, colorful narrative that never fails to surprise the reader. Girl with Cat (Blue) provides great entertainment'. * Screenplay a quarter-finalist in the Screencraft competition 2024

'This book was amazing! I was hooked from the first few pages and couldn't put the book down.' Judge, 26th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards. - Honorable Mention

J&K 4Ever - A post-apocalypse love story Sixty years after the end of everything the city of Bluette survives, controlled by a malignant sect.  A place where men rule, girls receive no education and are matched at 16 to the highest bidder.  No one is ever permitted to leave the city and outside is a murderous wasteland of despair. Orphans Kruge and Jeyna have been devoted to each other through all the years of terror in this harsh regime and sworn never to be parted.  But the beautiful Jeyna has been betrayed by the Warden. Kruge has been swiftly banished to the Scraps, under the control of the Keeper. Jeyna is heartbroken; she will not accept her fate and escapes to find Kruge.   'A genuine romance in a bleak but plausible and terrifying setting'.

J&K 4Ever

MARIKKA- exclusively on Amazon Print only Based on a tragic real life event, Marikka flees from an arson attack on her home to the sea, where she meets Starfish boy – a runaway working for Jackson, a scarred man hiding a sinister secret from the world. Meanwhile her real father searches for her with the aide of Anya, ‘the girl who can read objects’. More about the writing of this book ‘Long after my tears dried, my heart stayed with Marikka, Starfish Boy and the strange girl who reads objects.’ CT You will smile, and you will struggle to read the words through your tears. Gemma Williams - Amazon.co.uk

Spy/Romance thriller set during the Blitz in WW2 - Kindle download The Repercussions of Tomas D A Hero? Or Englands Greatest Traitor? USA Paperback here 'Disturbing and very poignant YA love story that presents a chilling alternate future for an England that lost the war.' Marcel d'Agneau 'A brilliant imagining of living in the Blitz, well researched.' Amazon UK 'This is Man in the High Castle for teens and scarily plausible ' *download the Kindle version or buy the paperback from Hammer & Tong

'The Heaviness' betrayal, revenge, relationships and the laws of gravity. Genie & Renée have just 36 hours to save Rian or he dies 'Without a doubt, one of the best YA Sci Fi series out there.' Evie Seo - Bookish Kindle & print Thanks to readers who have been buying this title. * Also published as Rüya by Marti Yayincilik - The Turkish publishers of TOZ & Golge Read Part Two: The Hunting of Genie Magee - the fight for the right to exist

*December 9th: Sara Troy interviews Sam Hawksmoor on Self Discovery Wisdom

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